AUBURN | The big day has arrived for Jabari Smith and Auburn.

If the majority of prognosticators are right, Smith will be the first player selected in the 2022 draft and the Tigers will join LSU and UCLA as the only schools to have No. 1 overall draft picks in the NFL, MLB and NBA drafts.

If Walker Kessler is also taken in the first round, it’ll be the first time Auburn’s had a pair of first rounders in the same draft in program history.

"Getting Jabari and Walker to go in the first round if it indeed happens, which I believe it will — Jabari hopefully goes No. 1 and Walker hopefully goes in the late teens or early 20’s — man, it’s just what we’re here to do,” said AU coach Bruce Pearl. “We’re here to win championships and we’re here to get the guys from here to there at Auburn. That’s what our job is. And there’s no better way to get from here to there than to win a championship and get drafted and sign a contract.

“Those guys are humble, they’re hungry, they’re both incredibly hard working and they both love Auburn. They loved their time here and Auburn and they’re both going to be great ambassadors for Auburn. They both did it the right way.”

Smith is projected to be selected by the Orlando Magic No. 1 overall in the vast majority of mock drafts including ones on ESPN, CBS Sports, Yahoo, USA Today, Sports Illustrated and Bleacher Report.

The Athletic's John Hollinger is one of the few that have him mocked at No. 2 to the Oklahoma City Thunder, saying the Magic put a high value on length and will go with Chet Holmgren instead.

Smith, who only worked out for Orlando and Oklahoma City, believes he has what it takes to be No. 1 overall.

“I think it’s my will to win that sets me apart,” Smith told reporters after his Orlando workout. “I don’t really care about stats and glamour and all that. I just want to win and play to win every game.”

He also looks back on his year at Auburn as important in his development, both on and off the court.

“I would say college was just a great experience for me in general,” said Smith. “I met brothers that will last a lifetime. I met coaches that I’ll talk to for the rest of my life.

“How much I was connected to Auburn was a big deal to me. So I would just say relationships and how important it is to build relationships with your teammates and how it would translate to the court.”

Where Kessler lands in the draft is more uncertain. He’s projected to go as high as No. 19 overall to Minnesota in an ESPN mock and as low as the second round, No. 37 overall, to Sacramento by CBS Sports.

Other possibilities include No. 23 to Philadelphia (Yahoo), No. 25 to San Antonio (USA Today) and No. 29 to Memphis (Bleacher Report).

The NBA Draft will be held at the Barclay’s Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., Thursday night beginning at 7 p.m. CT on ESPN and ABC. The second round will be carried on ESPN.